1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a setting tool, in particular to a combustion-engined setting tool, for driving fastening elements such as nails, bolts, pins, etc., in a constructional component and includes a setting mechanism located in the tool housing and having a drive piston for driving a fastening element in the constructional component. The present invention also relates to a magazine with fastening elements and a propellant holder for the setting tool.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Setting tools of the type described above can operate with liquid, gaseous, or solid fuels or be driven with pneumatic, mechanical, or electro-pneumatic drives.
The setting tools are used primarily for driving fastening elements, such as nails, bolts, pints and the like in concrete, steel, wood, etc. The quality of attachment depends, among others, from a correct adjustment of setting parameters, e.g. from adjustment of the setting energy that depends from a propellant, in particular, from a correct metering of liquid or gaseous fuel or the selection of a correct cartridge strength.
German Publication DE-OS 32 32 137 discloses an electrically driven setting tool in which one or several drive-in blows can be applied to a fastening element. The number of the drive-in blows is determined in advance based on preliminary selected elements and is set manually. This means that such setting parameter as the drive-in energy is adjusted manually. The manual adjustment of the drive-in energy and, thus, of a number of the drive-in blows are associated with increased costs and is a serious drawback.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,123,241 discloses a setting tool operated with a liquefied gas, and a magazine with fastening elements of which is provided with a switch that turns on when the magazine becomes empty. A turn-on condition of the switch is communicated to a microprocessor which evaluates the information and makes the information optically available to the user. A setting or drive-in process is not any more possible.
Known also are powder charge-operated setting tools (e.g., a setting tool DX A 40 MK of the assignee herein, firm catalogue 2001, Austria, page 53) in which the parameter “setting energy” is manually adjusted with a setting wheel. The adjustment is effected based on a fastening element, which is to be driven in, and on a cartridge strength. In incorrect setting parameters (e.g., setting energy) are present, a defective setting will take place.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a setting tool of the type described above in which the drawbacks of prior art tools are eliminated.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a setting tool of the type described above in which setting parameters such as, e.g., setting energy and/or necessary number of drive-in blows, etc., are adjusted automatically, dependent on a to-be-driven-in, fastening element.